Conduit-threader.



S. KANIOWSKI.

coNDun THREADER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 6. |915. l 223,699 Patented Apr. 24, 1917.

STEPHEN KAMOWSKI, 0F NANTICOKE, PENNSYLVANIA.

ooNDUIT-THREADER.

Specication of Letters Patent.

)Patented Apr. 24, 1917.

= Application filed May 6, 1915. Serial No. 26,375.

To @ZZ whom t may concern.'

Be it known that 1, STEPHEN KAMowsKi, citizen of the United States, residing at Nanticoke, in the county of Luzerne and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Conduit-Threaders, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in conduit creepers or threaders designed to provide a means for drawing wires, cables or analogous connections through a conduit, tube or similar duct.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved and simplified mechanism for the purpose stated.

A further ob'ect of theinvention is to generally improve upon the construction, combination and arrangement of parts Vhereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claim.

1n the drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevation of my improved conduit threader, partly broken away; the A conduit within which it is arranged being shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a similar view on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. l is an elevation of one of the arm springs; and

Fig. 5 is a plan view of said spring.

Like numerals of reference designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views.

Referring now to the drawings by numerals, 1 designates a conduit of cylindrical form and 2, as an entirety, my improved creeper or threader. The mentioned threader in its preferred embodiment may be said to consist of a guide or support rod 3, a fixed sleeve 4, a traveling or crawler sleeve 5, radial arms 6 movable with the crawler sleeve, like arms 7 affixed to the first mentioned sleeve, and centralizing springs 8 affixed to the sleeve, all substantially as shown.

A sheave or pulley 9 is secured, through the medium of a bracket 10 to the fixed sleeve 4 over which sheave or pulley an operating rope or cable 11 is passed. The mentioned rope or cable 11 is fixed at one end or as indicated at 12 to the crawler sleeve 5, its opposite end passing to a point without the conduit so that it may be consupport for the mentioned sheave.

veniently manipulated, in conjunction with f rod 3, preferably at a point in proximity to the tail end thereof or as indicated at 1%, the saidrope or cable from this point extending longitudinally of the mentioned rod to a second sheave or pulley 15 over which it passes. A bracket 16, similar to that above referred to and designated 10, affords a The rope or cable 13, from the sheave 15, extends to a point without the conduit whereby to permit of operation in conjunction with the cable 11.

Ears 17 are either secured to or made integral with the mentioned sleeve like devices al and 5, said ears affording a means whereby the radial arms 6 and 7 may be pivotally mounted and yieldingly held in engaging proximity with the inner conduit wall, coil springs 18, abutting at one end the radial arms and at their opposite ends the associate sleeves, serving as a means whereby the yielding engagement is assured and produced. Caps 19 are affixed to the guide rod 3, one at each end thereof, the cap on the rear end of the rod preventing the entire withdrawal of the rod from the sleeve 5. 1f desired, teeth or serrations 20 may loe-formed upon the free terminal of each radial arm, the several teeth precluding casual displacement of said arms during operation of the device in a manner hereinafter stated.

The head end of the threader or creeper is first forced into the conduit 1, springs 8 automatically centralizing the support rod 3 and the springs 18 yieldingly maintaining the several radial arms 7 in firm frictional contact with the inner conduit wall. Crawler sleeve 5 being in engagement with the stop element 19 at the tail end of the device it is evident that through exertion of a pull upon operating cord or cable 11, said sleeve will be drawn forwardly or otherwise until in engagement with the fixed sleeve 4. The engagement of the arm 7l with the conduit wall, during operation of the cable 11 as aforesaid, will preclude backward movement of the device as aA whole. When thus positioned, cable 11 is released and cable 13 pulled, this latter operation causing the sleeve 5 to remain fixed relatively to the conduit Wall and the rod 3 together with the sleeve 4L mounted thereon to be advanced until the stop element 19 shall have again engaged the crawler sleeve. Continued alternate operation of the mentioned cables 11 and 13 will cause the threader or Creeper to travel in step-like progress, until the wire cable or other connection shall have been drawn through the conduit or tube.

From the foregoing, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings it is evident that the several operations, other than the manual manipulation of the cables 11 and 18 as before pointed out, are automatic; that by lengthening the support or guide rod 3 a greater step or advance movement may be obtained through a single manipulation of the mentioned cables, consequently increasing the speed of the creeper device; and that the springs 18, by reason of their association with the several radial arms will so act thereon as to accommodate conduits varying in size and shape in cross section.

In reduction to practice, I have found that the form of my invention, illustrated in the drawings and referred to in the above description, as the preferred embodiment, is the most efficient and practical; yet realizing that the conditions concurrent with the adoption of my device will necessarily Vary, I desire to emphasize the fact that various minor changes in details of construction, proportion and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, when required, without sacrificing any of the advantages of my invention, as dened in the appended claim.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by LettersPatent, is y In a conduit threader having a guide rod and fixed and movable crawler sleeves mounted thereon radial gripping arms pivoted at their inner ends to the crawler sleeves, resilient means urging the gripping arms outward which comprises spring wire members having U-shaped portions for engaging gripping arms, looped portions -on said spring members for encircling the pivotal points of the gripping arms and free ends on said spring members for abutting against the crawler sleeves substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I alix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

STEPHEN KAMOI/VSKI.

Witnesses:

J. P. LORD, WM. SUMMERS.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

